The Slyness of the Fox
by ironicsunshine
Summary: In a world destroyed by war, a young Demon named Naruto finds himself hunted down and captured by those who want to use his power for their own personal gain. (Rated M for safety) NaruxSasu
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So, this is probably going to be one of my only author's notes in this story, so forgive me if it's slightly long. I just wanted to say that if you(the viewer) have come to this story in hopes that they will be treated to detailed lemon and yaoi, then you have come with the wrong impression. This story isn't about sex; it's about _love _and _adventure. _I'm not saying that this story is going to be family-friendly, but it isn't going to be for those who just want to read raunchy and tactless stories. That's really all I have to say for this. I hope you enjoy, and leave a review if you like/dislike something :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, no matter how hard I wish I did. I only own the story line and the OC's.

-_The Slyness of the Fox_-

_The sounds of war and animal suffering assaulted his quivering ears, forever scarring him with the horror that he was experiencing. Dirt and grime covered his bright golden fur, turning it into a filthy brown. He felt the sharp teeth of his mother dig harder into his scruff as she desperately raced away from the battlegrounds. The ground shivered as energy from the Human weapons exploded into the earth, dispersing it's lethal blow. He let out a whimper, but it was lost in the cries of the wounded and dying. _

_He felt helpless and small as he was carried away from the fight, and terror made him as limp as a rag doll. His mother was headed towards the Forest of Eve, where he saw his Uncle hiding behind a tree. A sudden blast from behind sent them flying through the air, and he heard his mother let out a yelp as she landed awkwardly on one of her paws. He cried out for her, but she didn't slow her pace. She made it to the edge of the trees and set him gently down._

_"Iruka, take Naruto and run! Go to the Valley of Glass and hide yourselves, and wait at least a fortnight until leaving. I'll find Minato and meet you there." _

_Iruka widened his eyes with surprise, then let out a snarl. _

_"No, Kushina! I won't leave you here to die! You take Naruto, and I'll look for-"_

_"Iruka, there is no time for arguing!" Kushina interrupted. "I won't make it to the Valley, not in my condition. Naruto's best chance is for you to take him. I will NOT allow him to fall into the hands of the enemy." She looked down at Naruto's frightened and dirty face, and gently licked him from ear to ear._

_"Be brave my little kitsune. Uncle Iruka is going to take you somewhere safe, so I need you to be strong for just a little while." _

_Naruto mewled softly, rubbing his head against his mother's soft chest. _

_"Mommy, I don't want you to go. What if you don't come back?" He whimpered. Kushina let out an affectionate growl, and nudged him towards his uncle. _

_"I need to find your Daddy and make sure that he's safe. I'll see you again soon, I promise. I love you Naruto." She looked down at his wide blue eyes one last time, then turned to Iruka._

_"Be swift. Don't let the enemy follow you. Remember, a fortnight!" With that, Kushina turned and ran. Her glorious red coat flashed as she darted through the war zone. Her 9 tails whipped around her, shielding her from flying dirt and mud._

_Naruto let out a cry, and started to run after her. Before he had taken more than 2 steps he felt his uncle's teeth sink into his scruff, and he let out a wail._

_"Mommy! Mommy, don't leave me! MOMMY-!"_

_A loud explosion ripped through the field, and Naruto's vision went black._

[15 years later, Naruto was 3 years old at the time of the flashback]

Naruto's ears twitched as the sound of birds roused him from his sleep. His cerulean eyes opened slightly, still sensitive to the morning light. He stretched his jaws wide as he gave in to an urge to yawn. He picked himself up from the floor and stretched his wakening muscles.

He dreamed of his mother almost every night, wishing that he could have stopped her from running away. No matter how hard he called, she just never came back. He had stopped crying when he turned 6, and had faced the reality that his parents were gone. They were never coming back to him, and his pathetic crying wouldn't get him anywhere.

**[A/N: I apologize for this filler/plot-break, but I feel like I need to give background information that I otherwise wouldn't be able to fit]**

His mother had been killed in the Great Demon War, just another casualty among millions. Demons were hated creatures, for if given the chance to grow they could fell a mountain with one sweep of their tail; or, tails, in some cases. Demons had originally left the Humans alone, choosing instead to live in the vast untamed wilderness of the world. Little was known about them, and the few who had seen a demon rarely lived to tell the tale. They were considered extremely dangerous, even against the magic of the Gifted Humans. The Gifted were those who possessed magic-like powers, able to summon an element at will and control it. There were 9 elements; Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Metal, Wood, Ice, Lightning, and Life.

The Great Demon War had been triggered by the lucky discovery of the connection between the power of Demons and the Gifted. Demons ranged from having a single tail to having 9, each tail number seemingly corresponding with a certain element. Water for 1 tail, Wind for 2, Life for 3, Earth for 4, Wood for 5, Metal for 6, Ice for 7, Fire for 8, and Lightning for 9. If a Gifted Human were to consume the blood of their corresponding Demon, their powers would be greatly amplified. A man named Orochimaru had made this discovery after capturing and studying the blood of a Demon.

The greater the number of tails, the more powerful the Demon could become. The more powerful the demon, the more powerful the Gifted that fed upon his blood. But the more powerful the demon, the harder it was to catch. A Demon possesses enhanced senses, speed, stamina, strength, and power. They can live for thousands of years if left to their own devices. But the discovery by Orochimaru made that impossible.

Consuming the blood of a Demon only a single time would only give a Gifted enhanced powers for 2 or 3 days before they dropped back to normal levels. In order to sustain such great powers, a Demon needed to be captured and kept alive. If killed, the blood lost its magical properties and became useless.

At the time of the War, there were 5 Great Lands; The Land of Leaves, Mist, Sand, Clouds, and Rocks. The Land of Mist made an alliance with the Lands of Rocks and Clouds to fight against the 2 most powerful Lands of Leaves and Sand, who controlled the majority of the geography of the world. 2 Clans emerged as Leaders: The Uchiha and the Senju. The Uchiha headed the Lands of Mist, Rocks, and Clouds while the Senju lead the Lands of Leaves and Sand. Both wanted control of the World Government, and both were headed by very powerful Gifted. General Hashirama Senju was Gifted with Fire, and General Madara Uchiha was Gifted with Lightning.

Both sides desperately needed more power, and both knew what they had to do. Demons immediately became very valuable, and were hunted down by the thousands. The weaker Demons, usually those with 5 tails or less, were easily gained. They went to the soldiers, as most of the Commanding Officers had more powerful Gifts. The stronger Demons, with 6 tails or more, were exceedingly rare and difficult to catch. If one was found, both sides tried as hard as they could to claim it as their own.

It was then that the Great Demon War began. Armed with enough firepower to destroy all 5 lands, the Uchiha and the Senju marched into battle. For 5 years the struggle for dominance raged on, with neither side able to gain the upper hand. Finally, after each side had exhausted their manpower and resources, a delicate balance of power was reached. A treaty was signed, and the 2 sides split again, returning to their respective Lands. But while the War may have been slowed, the damage had already been done. Demons had been rare to begin with, but 90% had been captured and killed while being used for their power. Even the weaker Demons were amazing finds, and any Demon with 6 tails or more meant that the scales of power could potentially be tipped.

A 6 or 7 tailed Demon meant that most Commanding Officers had a source of power. But an 8 or 9 tailed Demon were things of Legend(1), and could completely topple the Power Scales, triggering another devastating war.

**[Back to the Present! I hope that wasn't too boring, and if you skipped, you'll probably be ok. I recommend reading it, but anyhow. On with the story!]**

At the time, Naruto didn't understand why his mother had been so desperate to save him. He had been too young to understand that he was a young 9 Tailed Demon, and therefore very valuable. His mother was a 9 Tailed as well, and his father had been an 8 Tailed. His family had been one of the lucky few to find salvation from the war, going to the farthest corners of the wilderness to escape. They had been discovered by a hunting party from the Uchiha Clan, and before long they found their home under attack.

The Senju arrived soon after the Uchiha, and the battle suddenly became more about fighting than capturing the Demons. Naruto's father, Minato, had been separated from Kushina and Naruto soon after the fighting started, and Kushina was torn between helping fight or saving her son. Naruto was too young to protect himself, so Kushina had to flee and leave Minato to fight alone. The death of his mother and father were Naruto's earliest memories, and ones he wished he could forget. Iruka had been true to his word, and had run away to the Valley of Glass to hide. Naruto had been unconscious for the entire journey, only awakening 2 days after they had arrived. His memory of that time was blurry and patchy, but he did remember the feeling of utter despair when his parents never came.

Uncle Iruka knew of another safehaven for Demons, and as soon as Naruto was fit to travel set out to find it. Their journey took longer than expected as they had to make sure they went unnoticed by the Clans, but they eventually reached their destination. The Mountains of Ore were notoriously difficult to navigate, and Humans generally stayed away from them. While the harsh landscape may have been uninhabitable for Humans, it was perfect for Demons. Lush forests provided ample cover, and steep mountains allowed escape routes that only Demons could cross. Naruto had been living there since he was 4 years old, sheltered from the reality of the world around him.

Forcing himself back to the present, Naruto proceeded to groom himself, his soft tongue clearing away the dust from his golden fur. He kept his ears on alert for sounds of his Uncle, who was not present in the cave. He was probably out hunting, like Naruto should be. He finished licking himself, and rose up yet again. His tails rippled as they spread out behind him, emanating power and lethality. He padded out of the cave, his blue eyes taking in the forest. He let out a howl, and began his hunt.

****[1]Maybe only 5 or 6 left in the world.

**[A/N: Ok, so maybe I lied when I said I didn't do a lot of notes :P But anyways, I hope that you(the reader) enjoyed this somewhat filler chapter, and and constructive critique is welcome in the form of a review! Point out any and all mistakes you see, and tell me if I spelled any names wrong. I know that this is a VERY loose interpretation of the Naruto story, so I hope you can bear with me. Don't worry, the action picks up from here on out and I probably won't be giving another history lesson. I'll try to update as soon as I can :) ]**


	2. Chapter 2

**[A/N: Just wanted to say that I know that this update came very quickly, but it's the weekend and I'm bored :P I probably won't be able to update every day during the week. Also I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, I promise that it won't happen again.]**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, no matter how I hard I wish I did. I only own the story line and OC's.**

-The_ Slyness of the Fox-_

Naruto let out a sigh as he eyed his pile of kills. He wasn't the best hunter in his clan, not by a longshot. He'd only managed a deer and three small rabbits in the four hours since he had begun. His tails were his main problem: he just couldn't get them to stop moving. He also didn't have the skill and experience needed to be able to shrink them down. A few Elder members of his clan were able to morph individual body parts at will, while Naruto could only increase or decrease the size of his entire body. Most Demons could do that anyway.

He looked up as he heard his Uncle's deep howl, and quickly responded back with his own. He was being summoned back to his clan's base. Naruto picked up the deer and three rabbits with his tails, and trotted into the trees. His clan consisted of mostly older Demons, at least 800 or 900 years. Of the 10 or 15 Demons that had come together, Naruto was the only one that had nine tails. Most had three or four, but the Eldest Demon, Sarutobi, had seven. Uncle Iruka was the nephew of Sarutobi, and had apparently contacted him prior to the attack on Naruto's home. Minato and Kushina had become increasingly aware of Human presence, and had been planning to leave in a few weeks.

_'Yeah, a fat load of good that did.'_ thought Naruto. He shook his head to clear it of morbid thoughts and quickened his pace. It would do him no good to dwell on the past. He reached a familiar clearing, and turned to his left. His clan was living at the base of Mount Dervan, a particularly barren mountain. Naruto was a few hours walk away, but only about an hour away if he ran. He wasn't feeling particularly energetic at the moment, and decided to walk.

What was he going back to anyways? _'Demons who can't stand the fact that I'm more powerful then them.'_ He thought cynically. He had been mistreated by the younger Demons almost since the moment he had arrived. Demons were proud creatures to begin with, and having a newcomer who wasn't even a decade old suddenly come into the picture wasn't good for Naruto. Add in the fact that he has almost triple the value at 3 years old than most of the full-grown adults did, and he was a a deer surrounded by hyena. He had learned that to survive in a world where everyone hated you, you had show that you were unaffected. He wished many times a day that he could take out his anger and abuse on the people that had given it to him, but he found himself unable to conjure up the will to do so.

_'They're driven by their shallow feelings that come from inexperience. The only way for me to win them over is to gain their trust. To do that I have to-'_

_*CRACK*_

Naruto froze. His tails abruptly stopped swishing back and forth, gently setting their prey on the ground. He was rigid, his eyes darting around him. Now that he was paying attention, his ears were picking up slight unnatural movements in the underbrush. Another crack made his heart jump, and he felt dread spreading throughout his body. A smell had finally reached his sensitive nose, and it was distinct. Human.

He immediately took off, sprinting as fast as his powerful legs could carry him. He heard loud voices bloom from behind him, and he felt the vibrations of feet pounding against the ground. He pushed himself harder. He had to reach the base, and - '_No, I can't lead them towards the base! I can't allow my clan to be discovered.' _Pushing away his need for self-preservation, he changed his path so it was to the left of his home. _'I'll lead them towards the Red River and lose them on the other side. Only a Demon can land a jump from riverbank to riverbank.' _

Naruto almost missed the sound of an arrow hitting a tree directly to his right, and closer than he expected. He risked a glance over his shoulder, and saw a rather large Hunting Party moving much faster than it should have been. They weren't just keeping up with him; they were _gaining _on him. He huffed in frustration, and poured all of his remaining strength into his legs. He could hear the river up ahead, but he he didn't know how much longer he could stay evade the Hunters.

A large fallen log suddenly rose up in front of him, and on his last step before he had to jump he bunched his muscles. He sprang up into the air just as he heard the twang of an arrow being released. Time seemed to slow as the whistle of the arrow splitting the air grew closer. A second before it hit, Naruto knew that he couldn't dodge. A sharp pain blossomed in his right hind leg, and he let out a yelp. He hit the ground in a tangle of golden fur, and the air flew out of his lungs.

Naruto desperately scrambled to regain his footing, the entire right side of his body exploding with pain. He had mere seconds until the Hunters caught up to him, and his mind was frantically trying to make his body move. His struggles were suddenly frozen as he felt a heavy weight cover his body, pinning him to the ground. A weighted down net had been thrown over him, and he heard the triumphant yells of the Hunters. They circled around the fallen log, surrounding Naruto in a tight circle. His eyes darted around, hoping to find an escape route.

Finding none, he knew that he was running out of options. He didn't know this part of the forest well enough to know any secrets, and his clan had no idea where he was. Naruto realized that escaping from this net and finding a way to get rid of the Hunters was no longer an actual plan. The only thing that he could possibly do was warn his clan of the danger they were in. The Hunters may not stop with him, and they could find his base. He had gained enough breath back for one final howl, and he sucked in all the air he could.

He howled as loud as he could, putting all of the power he could into his voice. He relayed his fear and pain, and the danger that he was now in. Naruto could hear the echoes of his cries in the mountains and knew that he would be heard. He cut off his howling and lay there panting, completely out of energy and breath. His vision was swimming from the pain in his leg, and he knew that the only thing keeping him conscious was adrenaline.

He looked upwards as a man emerged from the circle on what looked to be a horse. Even from Naruto's partially delirious state he could see that this Human practically pulsed with power. The Human had jet black hair that fell just above his shoulders, and cold red eyes looked at Naruto with a chilling lust. His mouth was moving, but Naruto couldn't understand what was being said. He felt something prick his neck, followed by a sudden drowsiness. His eyes closed, and the last thing he heard before going under was the returned cry of a faraway fox.

**[A/N: Well, there you have it! I know that this chapter didn't have much dialogue in it but I promise that that will change very quickly. I'm going on a writing spree at the moment, so hopefully lots of new chapters today! A quick note: for the sake of this story, Demons can understand Humans, and can speak their languages. Please leave a review if you liked this chapter and if you have a critique. :) ]**


	3. Chapter 3

**[A/N: Well hello again! I'm here with another update, and I hope you enjoy!]**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, no matter how hard I wish I did. I only own the story line and OC's.**

****_-The Slyness of the Fox-_

__Naruto woke to the sound of rattling chains and muffled voices. His body felt heavy, like it was made of lead. He forced his eyes open only to be met with a complete darkness. His deadened senses were slow to react, and at the moment the only thing that seemed to be working properly was his hearing. He let his straining eyes close, and instead focused on enhancing his hearing. The sharp sounds of trotting horses made themselves known, so Naruto guessed that he was moving. The occasional rattling chain was caught by his ears, but no immediate connection came from that. He extended his hearing past his immediate surroundings, trying to form some semblance of an idea of where he was.

The familiar sound of twittering birds let Naruto know that he was in or near a forest. A bird shrieked overhead, and he cringed from the shrill noise. His ears flicked as he picked up the murmur of speaking Humans. He felt his heart sink. He realized that he had been holding on to the vague hope that him being captured by the Hunters was a nightmare, and that he had just woken up.

Naruto withdrew his hearing sense, and again attempted to open his eyes. His sight had begun to adjust to the darkness, and his sense of touch was returning to him as well. His limbs still felt heavy, but a slight tingling told him that they would soon be able to move. He had grown aware of the sensation of moving, and a slight jostling confirmed this. He looked down, and could make out the shadow of his paws. Using them as a reference point, he discerned that he was in some sort of four-walled cage. With great difficulty, Naruto moved his head slightly. A rattling noise solidified what he had been afraid of; a chain connected his neck to one of the walls.

He held back a whimper as he realized how hopeless his situation was. He had no idea where he was, was practically immobile, and in the captivity of Hunters. His eyes burned with tears that he refused to shed. He hardened his fragile feelings with a resolution; he would find a way to get back to his clan even if it meant killing every single Hunter who had captured him.

His heart jumped as the shaking of his prison stopped, and all sounds of movement stopped. The murmur of the Humans gradually grew louder, and Naruto yelped as his cage was suddenly lifted into the air. He heard a laugh come from outside of the walls, and a scorning voice came after.

"Listen to the pathetic creature. It must be pissing itself with fright!" An extra violent shake accompanied the comment, and Naruto couldn't help but let out a defiant growl. His legs quivered with a mixture of terror and anger. A mixture of new and foreign sounds began to assault his ears, such as loud clangs of metal hitting metal and raucous laughter. Faint smells made there way into his prison, making his nose wrinkle. Wherever he was reeked of Human filth and waste.

"Oi, Suigetsu! Did 'ja find yourself another little animal to play with?" A loud voice came through the wall on Naruto's left.

"No, this one here's special! I'd tell you, but we were given explicit orders from Sasuke to bring it to Madara. Though I'll let you in on a little secret; what I'm carrying may just change the momentum of the War in our favor."

Madara. As in, Madara Uchiha. That meant that the Hunter's were either from The Land of Mist, Rocks, or Clouds. Naruto gulped back his fear. The Uchiha Clan was notoriously vicious and merciless. Orochimaru, the scientist who discovered the power of Demons, supposedly researched for the Uchiha. Wherever Naruto was going, he could almost guarantee that his life was now no longer in his own hands.

After being carried for several more minutes, Naruto felt the sudden drop of his cage, and the bottom hit a hard surface. The landing was nowhere near gentle, and Naruto winced as his injured leg throbbed. _'At least I'm regaining feeling.' _He thought miserably.

"We're here to see General Uchiha. It's in regards of the...item...that was found yesterday. I'm sure he got the report we sent ahead, explaining our situation." the Human named Suigetsu said. Quiet affirmative grunts accompanied this statement, probably from the other Humans carrying Naruto's cage.

"He'll be with you in a few minutes. He's in a meeting with Itachi at the moment in regards to the Demon. Sasuke's a Lightning, right? He may just be the most powerful man in this army as-"

"Not may be- he _is_ the most powerful." A silky voice interrupted. A chill ran through Naruto's fur; he had no idea who was speaking, but their voice oozed with confidence and allure. The other Humans immediately grew quiet.

"Itachi. We've brought the Demon on orders from Sasuke. He was captured yesterday afternoon beneath the Mountains of Ore. We would have stayed and searched for other possible Demons, but this one is too important to recklessly carry around." A new voice spoke, this time from Naruto's left. It was very formal, and deep.

"Thank you, Neji. I commend Sasuke's judgement on the matter, considering what the prize is. I was half-expecting him to have already tested his...specimen. Now, let me see what you have obtained. Is it chained?" The silky-voiced man, now Itachi, asked.

"Yes, and drugged with a muscle relaxer. It's awake, but it still should barely be able to move. However, still act with caution; we have no idea its age or power."

The top of Naruto's prison started to move, and a crack of light broke through the darkness that he was used to. He was temporarily blinded as his eyes rejected the light that was being forced upon them. Eventually, a shape started to form in the white light, and colors began to emerge. Ebony Black, Blood Red, and Creamy White swirled to form the face of a person that made Naruto's blood chill. The man being referred to as Itachi peered down at him, his eyes surveying every part of his body. A paralyzing fear gripped Naruto, and any movement that he may have gained was gone.

The redness of Itachi's eyes terrified Naruto to his very core. Small black swirls decorated where the pupil should be, and they seemed to move of their own accord. His pale red lips curled into a smirk, and he reached his hand towards Naruto. In a sudden act of self defense, one of his tails darted forward, intercepting the hand before it reached Naruto and let off a spark. As his tail withdrew, he could see that a small burn had appeared on Itachi's palm, but the smirk never left his face. His hand moved out of sight.

"Interesting. The tail moved of it's own accord, protecting the Demon. He shouldn't be able to move, and yet the burn on my hand says otherwise." He lifted his gaze from Naruto, and Naruto suddenly felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his body. He moved his head slightly to his left, and saw a Human with long brown hair, pale skin, and Milky-White pupil-less eyes. That must be Neji. The Human to his right had tanned skin, and powder blue hair. Teeth that were sharpened to a needle-wide point poked out from underneath his lips, and his violet eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Take him to Orochimaru. I want to see if that new serum he developed really works. I want to see the results in the morning." With that, Itachi's head disappeared from view, and the top of Naruto's cage was placed back on. Darkness once again surrounded Naruto, and his body let out a shiver that he had been struggling to hold back. _'Why are they taking me to Orochimaru? What is this 'serum' they were talking about?' _he thought. The jostling of his cage signaled that he was being moved again.

After about five unbearable minutes, he heard the creak of a door open, and a sudden coolness entered the cage. Drops of water echoed around him, creepily reminding him of some of the caves he and Iruka has stayed in. He felt his cage drop, and gritted his teeth as the bottom came into contact with a surface. The loud rattling of chains caused a pit of dread to spread through Naruto's stomach. Soft footsteps echoed around him, and a quiet hiss seemed to follow each one.

"Orochimaru. Orders from Itachi to give this one your new serum. He wants to see the results by morning." said Neji, with a slight undertone of disgust. A wheezy laugh resonated through the room.

"By morning? Well, then I should waste no time. Suigetsu, go ask Kabuto to fetch the necessary supplies." said a voice that sounded eerily like a snake. It was quiet and raspy, but not lacking in intimidation and power. The top of Naruto's cage was again lifted, but no sunlight filtered in. A dark stone ceiling was above him, covered with moss and dirt. A new face moved into view, and Naruto couldn't help but feel slightly repulsed. Orochimaru had long black hair, and paler skin than Itachi. His eyes were a dark green, and his pupils were slits. He was sporting a twisted grin on his face, and a sick look in his eyes made Naruto squirm slightly. Orochimaru let out another creepy laugh.

"My, it's rather beautiful. Such blue eyes and golden fur are rare for Demons. They're always so dark and angry. I wonder what it will look like after my serum takes affect." What he would look like? _'What is this 'serum' going to do me?'_ thought Naruto. Footsteps echoed from behind him, and Orochimaru looked up.

"Ah, Kabuto. Bring the equipment over to the table. Neji, Suigetsu, help me lift it up." Neji and Suigetsu nodded, and the three of them formed a circle around Naruto.

"Be careful, Orochimaru. The tails move on their own accord if they feel that the Demon is in danger. They burn to the touch." said Neji. Orochimaru merely smiled, and reached his hand slowly in. But instead of moving towards Naruto, he grasped the chain that connected Naruto to the wall. Pulling it off of a small clasp, he nodded to Neji and Suigetsu.

Naruto felt to sets of hands grasp his fur, and immediately tensed. His tails flared up, circling around the arms of his holders. But they didn't let go. One quick look confirmed that Neji and Suigetsu had donned gloves in anticipation of trouble from his tails. He could only watch as he was carried over to a large table, and lay down on his side. The chain around his neck was reattached to a metal loop next to his head.

Orochimaru temporarily left Naruto's view, and he heard metal clangs from somewhere behind him. He flinched as he felt his tails grabbed, and a cold metal object pinned them together and to the table. A small man came into Naruto's line of sight holding a syringe. He had light grey hair pulled back into a ponytail, and shiny round glasses. His eyes were cold and emotionless. He slowly approached Naruto, lowering the needle to Naruto's shoulder.

"Good luck, little Demon Fox." he murmured. A sharp pain bloomed as the needle entered his shoulder, and Naruto cried out. A numbness almost immediately spread from the injection point, followed by a faint burning sensation. But the fire spread quickly, and it gradually grew more and more painful. Naruto started to weakly struggle as his body began to feel as if it really was on fire. His vision gained a red tint, and his limbs twitched of their own accord. Something was placed under Naruto's nose, and he inhaled. A drowsiness set in, and his eyesight grew blurry. As he faded away into unconsciousness, he let out one last painful cry before his world went black.

**[A/N: whew. That took me a while to get out! Anyways, it's 1 am here so I'll keep this brief. Leave a review if you liked this chapter or if you have a critique. A new chapter should be out soon. I apologize for any grammar mistakes, I'll fix them in the morning :P]**


	4. Chapter 4

**[A/N: Just a quick thank you to the people who reviewed. You really make my day :D]**

_-The Slyness of the Fox-_

__Naruto's world was full of pain. Pain like nothing he had ever experienced. His forced dreamstate was filled with nightmares of snakes strangling him and biting him until he collapsed. A blood red eye watched over him as if it were the Moon, following his every move. He slipped from one nightmare into another, a state of delirium overwhelming him. He watched as his body was torn apart by Humans and Demons alike, his blood poured into vials by a smiling Orochimaru. Screams echoed all around him, most of them his own.

He drifted through his own personal hell for what seemed like years. The never-ending stream of horrors pummeled him relentlessly, each one somehow worse than the last. Every single sword that had stabbed his body left a throbbing ache, and every single drop of blood that was spilled sapped at his strength. He continued to desperately try to wake himself up, his body crying for release.

Naruto's newest nightmare ended with him lying on the battlefield that used to be his home. His mother and father lay in front of him, bloodied and broken. His heartbroken wails faded away, and the world around him grew dark. Even the Blood-Red Moon disappeared. He looked around him, waiting for the newest monster to appear. But after a few more moments of silence, something caught Naruto's eye. A small sliver of light had broken through the wall of darkness that surrounded him. He slowly turned towards it.

It was gradually growing wider and wider, chasing away the blackness. It emanated heat, soothing Naruto's beaten body. Soft whispers caressed his bleeding skin, smoothing over every cut and wound. _'Naruto...Naruto...' _the voices murmured. The light swelled, and enveloped him in a blast of white. _'Naruto...Wake up, Naruto...Naruto...' _He opened his eyes.

Gone were the black stone walls that had held the cause of his nightmares. The room that he was now in was white and clean, with only a small steel door as his connection to anything on the outside. Bright lights shined down from the ceiling, which Naruto guessed was the light in his dreamstate. He moved his legs, and found them fully responsive. His arms also had regained full movement.

But something was wrong. While he was in control of his limbs, his entire body seemed foreign and strange. His skin felt taut and stretched, like a scar over an old wound. Naruto slowly rolled his stiff neck, then lifted his head to look down at his body. He froze.

This wasn't his body. No, it _couldn't _be his body. Naruto's mind went into a blank state of shock at what he was seeing. A long torso stretched out before him, connected to two long legs covered by a grey cloth**[pants]**. His stomach had a strange black symbol around his navel, like a swirling spiral surrounded by curled dots. Not a single patch of his golden fur remained, and his paws had been replaced by two large feet. He wasn't looking at the form of a Demon; he was looking at the body of a Human.

Naruto's state of shock slowly turned into a feeling of panic. He jerked his arms, and let out an angry grunt as he discovered that they were secured to the surface he was lying on. His legs were also pinned down, but that only made Naruto's panic grow. He thrashed and pulled at his restraints, releasing a yell of frustration and fear. His animalistic need for flight took over, pouring adrenaline into his veins. The tattoo on his stomach started to glow, and he felt an increasing heat spreading through his body.

A sudden clanging resonated from Naruto's left, and his head whipped towards the noise. The steel door had opened, and Humans were hurrying into the room. He snarled as they closed in around him. He roared as their hands tried to push him down, making his stomach burn white-hot. His cries of fear and anger turned to pain as he arched his back from the searing burns of his tattoo. The Humans were talking in loud voices, calling for someone who was out of the room. Naruto screamed as his body convulsed, and steam started to rise from his skin.

A black figure rushed into the room, and Naruto would have cried if his tears weren't already evaporating. Itachi Uchiha looked down at him, a mixture of surprise and wonder etched across his aristocratic features. His eyes looked into Naruto's and control of his body was wrenched from his grasp.

_"Mangekyo Sharingan!" _His struggles ceased, and the burning of his stomach suddenly stopped. His chest moved quickly up and down, shaking with every breath. His world turned red and black as he found himself hanging from a cross. Itachi looked up at him, a small smile on his face.

"Be still, Little Demon. Your struggles will do you more harm than good." Naruto made no sign of acknowledgement. His throat felt raw and dry, preventing him from speaking. His lips formed words that he didn't know he knew. Itachi laughed at Naruto's evident difficulty.

"Good, so you can understand me. That should make things much more simple. Now listen _carefully_. From now on, Little Demon, you are no longer in control of your actions. You will do as I command, or accept the consequences. You belong to us now." He paused to let his words sink in. Naruto merely stared.

"The body you are in now is the product of Orochimaru's serum. It seals your Demonic Powers inside a Human form, while still filling your veins with your valuable blood." Itachi licked his lips, then sighed. His voice suddenly grew deeper and more authoritative as he moved closer to Naruto's face.

"I'm going to release you now, Little Demon. When I do, you will not struggle, and you will not fight. Is that clear?" Naruto slowly bared his fangs, a raspy growl gurgling in his throat. Itachi's eyes narrowed, and suddenly Naruto's head whipped backwards from a powerful hit to his cheek. He grimaced as the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. He turned back towards Itachi, who was no longer smiling.

"Now, look what you made me do. We wasted your precious blood. I will not ask again; _is that clear?_" Naruto resisted the urge to bite Itachi, and forced himself to nod. Itachi observed Naruto for one moment more, then abruptly pulled his head back. Naruto's vision swirled, and he found himself back in the white room. The fight had left his body to be replaced with a reluctant compliancy. Itachi was still leaning over him, an icy smirk plastered on his face. The other Humans in the room were still pressing down on his arms and legs, apparently unaware of what had just transpired in the red and black world.

Itachi waved them off, and the pressure on his body ceased. Naruto had lost his anger, but he was still shaking. He tried to slow his breathing and calm himself down. It would do him no good to work himself into another fit of hysteria. He had no desire for Itachi to take control of him again.

Once confident that Naruto would behave, Itachi turned to a Human that has just entered the room. Making sure to speak so that Naruto could hear, he held out his hand.

"Put him in the collar and chains. I want him moved to his containment unit immediately. If he fights, use any means necessary to subdue him. I must find with Sasuke to discuss the current situation." With that, Itachi slowly walked towards the door. With just one foot over the threshold, he turned his head back slightly.

"Be good, _Little_ Demon." Naruto gulped at the clear hidden meaning behind the seemingly harmless words. The steel door slammed shut behind him. The now familiar rattling of chains filled the sudden silence, and Naruto felt something wrap around his neck. It was cold and uncomfortably hard, and he doubted that he would be able to get it off on his own. The restraints holding down his arms and legs released with a click. He slowly pushed himself up, testing the new muscles in his arms. They were very shaky, but they held his weight.

The Humans watched him warily as he shifted his legs over the side of the table that he had been previously lying on. His feet touched the cold metal floor and sent shivers up his spine. He pressed down gently, using his arms to push himself to stand. His legs felt weaker than his arms, but he managed to stay upright. He eased himself off the table, slowly putting more and more weight onto his legs. They shook, and a sudden throb of pain sent Naruto right back onto the table. He had forgotten that his leg, while would have already been healed in his Demonic form, probably had a slower healing process now that he had the body of a Human.

He grit his teeth, and stood again. The Humans watching him made no attempt to help. He again pushed himself off of the table, and was ready when his leg protested to the new weight on it. Naruto tried his best to ignore it, and straightened his back. It felt unnatural for him to be standing upright. He supposed that he couldn't walk around on all fours anymore, and he doubted that he could run if the opportunity presented itself.

He flinched as he felt a pair of rough hands pull his arms backwards. His wrists were pushed together, and another piece of metal pinned them together. A slight push at his lower back sent him stumbling forwards, his new legs moving awkwardly. Two more pairs of arms encircled his, ensuring that he kept his balance while forcing him to walk. The steel door was pulled open from the outside, and daylight poured into the room. Naruto sighed as the familiar feeling of warmth spread of his skin. The sun seemed to be the only source of comfort in his harsh new world.

He found that while he may have been stripped of his Demonic form, his senses still remained. He recognized the scent of dirt and grime that he had smelled from inside his cage, only now he could see where it came from. He had been kept in a small building that seemed to be the only sterile thing in the surrounding area. A scatter of large tents stretched out as far as Naruto could see, and other small buildings occasionally separated them.

Humans were covering almost every area of space not occupied by a tent. Some where sparring with wooden swords, while some sat on barrels and bins playing cards. All eyes turned to Naruto as he was led through the crowd. He could feel their eyes burning into his back, and tried to ignore the whispers that were sprouting from all around him.

"Thats the Demon that they caught last week."

"Why does he look like a person?"

"Damn. For a filthy Demon, he's one hell of a looker."

Naruto's cheeks burned. He felt vulnerable and exposed, and he fought to keep himself calm. His legs shook even harder. They soon reached a large building, and he was pushed through the door. The interior of the building was all one spacious room with a large bed centered on the back wall. A dresser and a desk were against one wall, and the other wall was decorated with a large assortment of lethal looking weapons. A small mirror hung above the dresser, and Naruto cautiously peered into it.

Looking back at him was a boy, maybe seventeen or eighteen. He had golden blonde hair, and cerulean blue eyes. On his cheeks were six whisker-like scars, three on each side. He looked strong, but his face betrayed that he was terrified. Naruto couldn't help but agree with his reflection. He was scared, and he couldn't hide it.

He was pulled over to the wall to his right, and one of the Humans holding his arms pushed on the seemingly solid surface. To Naruto's surprise, the wall swung away, revealing a small hidden room. The walls and floor were made of the same smooth stone that Orochimaru's room had been made of. It had a bed in the corner, and an unlit lamp that hung from the ceiling. A tiny barred window was on the back corner of the wall, allowing small patches of light into the room. Naruto was led inside, and pushed onto the bed. The Humans avoided eye contact with him, and unclasped his wrists.

Another restraint was secured around his ankle, except a chain was linked to the side. The chain forced his leg up onto the bed, making him lean against the wall. The chain was attached to a metal ring around one of the bedposts. No one moved to remove the collar from Naruto's neck, and he resisted the urge to huff in annoyance. The Humans hurried from the room, all being sure not to look at him lest they provoke a sudden attack.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Naruto let out a whimper that he had been struggling to hold back. He lay down facing the wall, and tucked his hands under his head. The fright that he had refused to let overwhelm him surfaced, and silent tears rolled down his face. The tattoo on his stomach gave a slight twinge, reacting to the emotion that he was feeling. He closed his eyes, stemming the flow of moisture leaking from them. He felt exhausted, and it didn't take long for him to fall into a fitful slumber.

**[And there we go, another chapter completed. And if anyone is wondering where the hell Sasuke is, he's introduced in the next chapter ;) . As usual, leave a review if you liked the chapter or if you have a critique, both are welcome. Another one should be out by tomorrow.]**


	5. Chapter 5

**[A/N: So, I wanted to try something new this chapter. It's all Sasuke's POV from the day of Naruto's capture. If all goes well, I may try something like this again. For those who only want Naruto's POV, I sincerely apologize :P]**

_-The Slyness of the Fox-_

__Sasuke Uchiha sighed. His hunting party had been searching for a month to find a Demon, and so far they had yet to spot even a One-Tailed. Patience had never been one of his strong points, and he had grown tired of this pointless expedition two weeks ago. It was all he could do to not fry anyone who talked to him with a lightning bolt. People often mistook his dour expressions as calmness and patience, and if he had to hear one more Hunter tell him that 'something seemed to be troubling him' he was going to strangle each and every member of his party. The only reason Sasuke had not done so already was his brother, Itachi. Itachi was ultimately the only one who had any authority over him, and Sasuke had no choice but to obey his orders to find a Demon.

__He brought his attention back to the present, which consisted of him on the back of a Horse overlooking the members of his party. The Hunters were treading carefully through the undergrowth of a thick forest, scouring every inch of land for a sign of a Demon. They were going at an incredibly slow pace, and Sasuke was becoming increasingly restless. This was the only part of the forest that they hadn't already covered. He wanted to get this over with so that he could return to base. The mountains still had yet to be explored, but that wasn't his job. Demons were probably more common in the mountains than in-

"Sasuke, I think I've got one!" cried an excited voice. Sasuke's head whipped around, and he pressed at his horses' side, urging it forward. The Hunter who had cried out was Hunter Kiba, a man with extraordinarily keen eyesight and smell. His abilities quite resembled that of a dog. He was pointing at a thorn bush that was hidden behind layers of vines. At first Sasuke couldn't see what Kiba was pointing at. He dismounted and leaned down, following Kiba's finger.

Resting upon one of the thorns was a tuft of golden fur. It glowed slightly, a telltale sign of a Demon. Sasuke slowly grinned. '_This mission may not have been pointless after all.'_

"Kiba, get it's scent. Pinpoint it's location and send us in the right direction. Can you tell it's level of power?" asked Sasuke. Kiba carefully reached into the thorns, and delicately pulled out the fur. He gave it a sniff, and eventually frowned.

"I'm not sure. If it is a high-level Demon, it's a young one. No more than one or two decades old, most likely. It has a strange smell; I've never come across it in my years of Hunting. If we find it, act with caution." Sasuke gave a curt nod.

Kiba held the fur under his nose, and drew in a long rush of air. His eyes closed, and he slowly stood. The other Hunters had already formed a tight circle around them, their feet dancing and weapons loaded. After a few tense moments of silence, Kiba's finger pointed North, towards the mountains.

"It's there. It passed this way roughly an hour ago, heading towards the mountains. We need to hurry if we want catch it before it reaches the mountains." Sasuke smiled; a chase was exactly what he needed to get rid of his pent-up energy. He turned his horse North, and threw his hand forward in the signal to advance. The Hunters around him moved forward in a blur of brown and green. Their boots had been enhanced with the energy of a Captain gifted with Wind. It allowed them to move almost soundlessly and much more quickly than the average human. Sasuke's horse had also had his hooves enhanced, so he could more than match the pace of his Hunters.

He urged his horse forwards, and moved to the front of the formation. The trees blew passed him, and the mountains loomed overhead. After going at full speed for about 10 minutes, Kiba's hand flew up. Sasuke pulled back on his horses' reins, and drew to a halt. The other Hunters stopped as well, breathing hard but still excited.

Kiba waved them forward, circled his hand slowly, signaling that the party was to move quietly. Sasuke dismounted from his horse, drawing his bow from the strap against his back. He notched an arrow, and held it in ready position. His Hunters walked behind him and Kiba, ready to move at any time. A clump of bushes lay ahead, and Kiba moved the leaves slowly out of the way. Sasuke took a breath to calm his racing heart and peered through the small opening.

The small bit of fur that Kiba had found was nothing compared to what was in front of Sasuke. The Demon that stood before him lit up the entire area around it with its luminescent golden fur. It was roughly the size of a large dog, but Sasuke knew that that could easily change. What he wasn't prepared for was the number of tails on the Demon. He rubbed his eyes to make sure that he wasn't seeing things. If he wasn't mistaken, the Demon before him had _nine tails._ But the glorious image didn't go away.

Sasuke was practically twitching with excitement, and he fought to keep his expression composed. He slowly held up nine fingers, and watched as Kiba's eyes widened. Sasuke slowly stood, and took a step towards his Hunters. He saw Kiba frantically wave his hands, but didn't realize that a giant stick was beneath his boot until he stepped on it. A loud snap broke the silence of the forest. Sasuke whirled, and looked through the opening in the bushed.

The Demon had stopped moving, his tails rigid and his ears flicking. Sasuke held his breath, and raised his arm. There was a moment where time stood still, and then the Demon was suddenly running in the opposite direction.

"Shit..." muttered Sasuke. He threw his hands down, and ran forward. His Hunters ran with him, arrows again raised. With the Wind-Enhanced boots, he knew that they had a chance with catching the damn thing. Its golden fur was easy to follow, standing out against the earth tones of the forest. The agility with which it moved nearly took Sasuke's breath away. It seemed to float over the dead leaf bed, like a shimmer over water.

It changed direction suddenly, angling away from the mountains. Sasuke grit his teeth, and dug his heels against the dirt. He forced his body to turn, and pressed himself forwards. He realized that he was leaving the rest of his Hunters behind, and gaining on the Demon. He pulled his bow up, waiting for the perfect opportunity to release the arrow. The moment came when the Demon leapt over a log. Sasuke infused a small shock of lightning into the arrowhead, and let go. A twang came from the bow as the arrow flew towards the golden blur.

His heart skipped a beat as he realized that he had hit it. It fell like a rock, blood spattering over the dead bark of the log beneath it. Sasuke yelled to signal his Hunters, and slowed his pace. They weren't far behind, and Kiba leapt over the log with a net in his hands. Sasuke was breathing hard, but he couldn't have felt more energetic. After a grueling month of nothing, he had finally claimed his prize.

The Demon was lying beneath the net, an arrow sticking out of it's blood-covered hind leg. Kiba was right about the Demon being young; an older Nine Tails would have stood its ground. It could have easily defeated the Hunters with one sweep of its tails. Even Sasuke's lightning wouldn't have been able to contain it.

The Hunters formed a circle around the Demon, cutting off any chance of escape. The medic of the group moved forward with a small needle of anesthetic, and Sasuke moved forward as well. The medic injected the needle into the Demon's shoulder, then nodded his head at Sasuke to signal that it was safe to approach. Already Sasuke could tell that the Demon was falling under the influence of the anesthetic. Its eyes were drooping, and its chest had stopped heaving. Sasuke leaned down over the Demon's head, his onyx eyes meeting breathtaking blue ones.

The moment froze, and Sasuke let out a small gasp. As he stared into eyes as deep as the ocean, a million smells and sounds rushed through his head. The tweeting of birds, the smell of sea salt, the whistle of wind through trees all seemed to pass through him in the span of a moment. An electric arc rippled down his back, making his blood feel as if it were on fire. Lust set his stomach soaring with butterflies, and he felt the want - no, the _need_ to taste the blood of the Demon laying before him.

Instinct told him to sink his teeth into the creature laying before him, and he wanted nothing more than to comply with what his body was crying for. His craving for power was almost overwhelming. Almost. He summoned all of the willpower that remained in his mind, and pulled himself away from the cerulean eyes of the Demon. The blood that had been roaring in his head quieted almost immediately, but he could not calm his raging heart.

Kiba seemed to have noticed Sasuke's momentary distraction and rested a hand on his shoulder. It pressed firmly down, as if trying to keep him grounded and focused. It worked. Sasuke watched as the Demon was lifted off of the ground, and placed into a metal cage. The wound from his arrow had already stopped bleeding, per usual of a Demon's healing abilities. The urge to cling to the Demon's lifeless body was still strong, but Sasuke focused on Kiba's grip, and clasped his shaking hands together.

"Sasuke...what happened back there? You looked like you were about to go on a rampage." murmured Kiba. Sasuke looked over to him, and made a small grunting noise. Even if he was in turmoil on the inside, he had to remain a leader on the outside.

"Hn. It was nothing that you need to concern yourself with. Send a hawk ahead with a message to Itachi. Tell him that we have successfully captured a Nine Tailed Demon." Kiba nodded, and removed his hand from Sasuke's shoulder. Once he had gone, Sasuke let out a shuddering breath.

_'How could this Demon have this affect on me? No other Gifted has ever described such an experience when meeting a Demon that matches their abilities. What did its eyes do to me?' _Sasuke put his head in his hands. He had never felt more out of control than he did at this very moment.

**[A/N: ok I am sooooooooooo sorry that I haven't updated in a while! Long story short, I had midterms all week and couldn't find any time to sit and write. Please don't throw tomatoes at me, I promise I'll try to do better! Anyways, pathetic begging aside, I hope you enjoyed this late chapter. Leave a review if you liked it or if you have a critique, all are welcome.]**


	6. Chapter 6

**[A/N: Ok, so I wanted to quickly address something that a few people asked in the review section, which was: Is this the end of the story?! To answer that, no, not by a long shot. I'm just very slow at writing, and I'm slightly a perfectionist so I can't put out something I hate. I hope that the next chapter won't take as long to write, but I can sadly make no guarantees.****]**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, I just own the storyline and the OC's.**

* * *

_-The Slyness of the Fox-_

Naruto knew that someone was watching him. He could feel their eyes burning into his skin, scalding every inch of him. They had been there for a while, even while he had been asleep. He had, of course, become gradually aware of their presence. Naruto decided to maintain the guise of sleep, wary that any movement on his part would cause his shadow to attempt to wake him.

He had been in his small prison for a little over twenty-four hours, drifting in and out of a restless sleep. The sounds of the camp outside of the small window had quieted in the night, and now the silent moon illuminated the darkness around him. The lamp on his wall had long since been extinguished, the wick and oil burned away from prolonged use. Through cracked eyelids, Naruto could make out the tall silhouette of a man in the doorway. He seemed to be leaning against the doorframe, dark hair shrouding his features. Naruto didn't dare open his eyes any further in fear of alerting the man to his consciousness.

The man had been standing there for roughly fifteen minutes since Naruto had awoken, and possibly more while he was still asleep. He had not made any attempt to touch Naruto, or to make contact with him in any way. He had just stood there, puzzling Naruto as to why he was watching him.

Naruto had been gradually working up the courage to 'wake up' and confront the mysterious man, repeatedly telling himself that he would have to move eventually and that his cowardice was just prolonging the inevitable. He needed to find a way to free himself from this prison, and he would do himself no good if he continued his masquerade. He counted down from five in his head, apprehension swirling into a pit in his stomach. As he counted, small thoughts of opposing reassurance and doubt leaked into his resolve.

_5..._He had to face his captors.

_4..._His powers were now sealed and he was in a body he could not fully control.

_3..._He was pretty sure that he would not be killed.

_2..._He was scared out of his mind.

_1..._He couldn't do this.

Naruto ignored the last thought, and opened his eyes. He slowly rolled over from his side onto his back, keeping his movements slow and controlled. He struggled to keep his eyes away from the man that he knew was in the doorway. He wanted to see what the figure would do now that he had stirred.

Naruto kept his face in a neutral expression as he pushed himself into a sitting position. The chain around his ankle just barely allowed him to sit against the cold wall that his cot was pressed against. He rubbed his eyes, trying to push away the sleepiness that still clouded his sight. He twitched as he heard a rustle come from the doorway. Now given an excuse to look, he turned his attention to the source of the noise.

The man had pushed himself off of the doorframe, but still kept himself in the shadows. Naruto swallowed the lump that had grown in his throat. His gut was telling him that this wasn't a good idea, but it was too late to back out now. He cleared his throat softly. He was familiar with the language that Humans spoke, or at least competent enough to hold a decent conversation. Not that he particularly wanted to converse with the Humans around him, but he decided that being able to communicate with his captors would probably come in handy.

"Who-who's there?" His stutter betrayed how frightened he actually felt, even if his exterior was calm. His mouth felt strange as he was forming the words. Demons communicated with actions, and if intimate enough, thoughts. He would have to grow used to using phrases to indicate what he was feeling, instead of just assuming that everyone around him could read his body language.

The figure in the doorway shifted slightly, as if contemplating entering into the moonlight that would make his features distinguishable. Naruto was becoming increasingly aware of the fact that the man had still not taken his eyes off him since he had moved. He shivered, only partly because of the cold. The man finally seemed to come to a decision, letting out a quiet sigh. He stepped forward into the moonlight.

For a moment it seemed as if Naruto's heart had stopped beating. The man who stood before him could not possibly be a mere Human. His hair was blacker than a night without stars, contrasting with skin almost as pale and pure as cream. Onyx eyes gazed coldly down into Naruto's, sending tingles up his spine and into his chest. His beauty was ethereal, a fallen angel among the ordinary that resided on this plane. Naruto couldn't help but to stare at him, any semblance of self-control now gone with the wind.

At first the man did not acknowledge that Naruto had spoken, but merely continued to observe him. His eyes slowly made their way down Naruto's body, ending at the chain around his ankle. He made a small noise of what Naruto guessed to be annoyance, resembling a grunt and a tut.

"Hn. I don't know what makes them think that a flimsy chain would be enough to restrain you. My brother may trust Orochimaru and his little serum, but I for one cannot condone leaving a Demon to his own devices." His voice induced more shivers in Naruto. The way he casually spoke to Naruto as if he were not a ruthless killer puzzled him, while exciting him at the same time. The man moved closer, eventually standing right beside where Naruto lay.

He reached towards Naruto, and Naruto instinctively flinched away. But he didn't have anywhere to run to, and a strong hand grasped his chin and pulled it slightly upwards. Warmth spread from where the man's fingers made contact with Naruto's skin, chasing away the cold that he had been gradually getting accustomed to. The man's dark eyes studied him, his thumb lightly tracing the edges of Naruto's jawline. Naruto's heart sped up, but he couldn't tell if it was from fear or arousal. Maybe it was both.

Naruto cursed himself and his weakness. He was letting himself be drawn in by this man's allure, when all he really was to the Uchiha was a blood bank. He pushed away the lustful thoughts that had been making themselves at home inside his mind. The man in front of him was an enemy, god-like looks be damned. He pushed a growl out of his throat, ignoring the slight warning twinge around his navel,

The fingers holding his jaw in place pulled away, taking their warmth with them. The man suddenly smirked, his eyes fixating on the seal that rested on Naruto's bare chest. Naruto felt heat rushing to his cheeks, something which he had never experienced before. An unpleasant swirling in his stomach made him feel slightly sick.

"My name is Sasuke." Naruto's heart jumped at the phrase. "Sasuke Uchiha. I'm sure you have heard of me before." Clearly Sasuke thought himself important enough that Naruto should have already known who he was. His arrogance emanated off of him, making Naruto's nose wrinkle. He gulped, and brought his eyes up to meet Sasuke's. Cerulean eyes met Onyx. Sasuke, who had clearly been expecting a small amount of defiance, stared right back. His lips were still twisted in a smirk that, to Naruto, was quickly becoming infuriating.

"What do you call yourself, Demon? It would be quite rude to withhold your title after I so graciously offered mine." Naruto narrowed his eyes. The tip of his tongue flicked his razor sharp canines, wishing so badly that he could sink them into the pale skin of the Uchiha before him. The fear that had previously been preventing Naruto from thinking clearly was gone, replaced with cool anger. He kept his mouth firmly shut, refusing to break eye contact.

Sasuke's smirk dropped off his face. His eyes grew stony, and seemed to take on a slightly red tint. In a blur of movement, Sasuke wrapped his hand around Naruto's throat, and pushed him against the wall, his other arm and legs preventing Naruto from retaliating. His face was suddenly inches from Naruto's and gone was the arrogant aloofness.

A shot of adrenaline rushed through Naruto, and his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. He let his canines slip out from underneath his upper lips, feeling a small pinprick where they pressed into his skin. The grip around his neck tightened, nearly cutting off his air flow.

"I don't think you understand, _Demon,_" murmured Sasuke, a dangerous edge to his voice. "when I ask you a question, you answer it. You're my little pet, and you _will _obey me." A small spark of electricity shot down Sasuke's arm from his chest, shocking and burning Naruto. A quiet cry escaped his lips. The grip around his neck did not loosen.

"Now, I'm going to ask you one more time. What is your name?" Naruto swallowed painfully. He pushed aside his anger, and cleared his throat.

"N-Naru-Naruto." He had never translated his name into the Human language before, so the word sounded strange rolling off his tongue. Sasuke smiled, and the pressure around his neck lifted. His demeanor changed back to casual and cocky.

"That wasn't so hard, was it? Naruto...what a strange name." Naruto huffed before he could stop himself. Sasuke noticed, and surprisingly grinned. _  
_

"Have something to say? If so, please refrain from using that ridiculous stutter, it hurts my brain to listen to it." Another growl rose out of Naruto's throat. It was clear that Sasuke was trying to bait him, but he couldn't help rising to the challenge.

"Yeah, I have something to say. Go fuck y-yourself." _'Shit.' _thought Naruto. Sasuke's eyes widened, glistening with evil mischief.

"Figures, I get the defective Demon. Must be karma for throwing Suigetsu in that pile of bear shit outside camp."

"I am not defective, _teme_! You're the one who's got a problem, kidnapping me and forcing me into this ugly, hairless body."

"Oh, so you agree that you're ugly, _dobe._"

"No, that's not - what I meant was - shut up!" Naruto couldn't think of anything to say in retaliation. He crossed his arms, not caring about how childish he looked. Sasuke smirked, and Naruto clenched his teeth in irritation.

Sasuke walked over to the door, and reached for something that Naruto couldn't see. When he turned back around, he threw something at Naruto. He caught it, and looked down. It was a small, dark green backpack that contained something soft and brown. He reached in, and pulled out a short sleeved shirt and trousers. He looked up at Sasuke suspiciously.

"Why are you giving me this?"

Sasuke let out a sigh. "Well, in case you haven't noticed, you're not wearing a shirt. And I would imagine that you don't particularly want to wear those threadbare pants anymore. I can't have you freezing to death." With that, Sasuke ducked out of the room.

"Call me when you're done changing. My brother wants to see you. Oh, and just pull the chain off of the wall, I don't particularly feel like unlocking it." _'Clearly he thinks I'm no threat to him, even if I'm not restrained.' _thought Naruto bitterly. He yanked the chain that was connecting him to the wall, and it snapped cleanly off. He glanced towards the doorway to make sure Sasuke was not watching, then pulled off his pants and replaced them with the ones from the bag. The trousers were soft and warm, and they were loose enough that the wound on his leg wasn't irritated. He pulled on the shirt, and was pleased to find that it fit nicely.

He swung his legs off of the cot, and stood up. This time, his legs held him. He walked over to the door, and poked his head out. Sasuke was sitting on the bed that was against the wall, lazily sending small sparks out of his fingers and watching them fizzle out. His eyes flicked over to where Naruto was standing, and he quickly stood.

"Good, you're not so stupid that you can't dress yourself. That should make things significantly easier for me. Oh, and put the shoes on that are next to your left leg." Naruto bristled.

"I'm not stupid! Of course I know how to dress myself." Sasuke merely smirked_. _Naruto rolled his eyes, and pulled on the boots that were leaning against the wall. They were black combat boots, but they were surprisingly light.

"Now, we're going to pay a visit to my dear brother. I strongly recommend you behave yourself like a good little Demon, and try not to say anything too idiotic. Itachi has a low tolerance for imbeciles." Sasuke walked over to Naruto, who couldn't help but step backwards. Sasuke huffed in exasperation at Naruto's wariness.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Demon. Just walk in front of me, and I'll lead you to my brother's tent. Don't try anything, or I'll zap you much worse than what you got on your neck." Naruto brought his fingertips up to the small burn, and lightly touched it. The skin was hot, and an uncomfortable tingling from the contact made him wince.

"Fine. It's not like I have anywhere to run to, anyway." he muttered. Sasuke ignored him, and pushed him towards the front door of the building, steering him towards the right. The stillness of the night was broken only by muffled snores coming from inside the scattered tents. Naruto was acutely aware of Sasuke's presence behind him, making him feel slightly self conscious of his every move. Occasionally Sasuke would push him another direction or move him out of the way of a nearly invisible barrel, but he said nothing. Naruto felt relieved; he didn't particularly want to talk.

He was feeling very apprehensive about seeing Itachi again, unsure of how to handle himself after their last meeting. He had only known Sasuke for about 45 minutes, yet he already knew that the two brothers were very different. Itachi was cold and ruthless, aware of exactly what he wanted and absolutely refusing to let anyone get in his way. Sasuke was more laid back, but was clearly more immature and arrogant. Naruto would pick Sasuke over Itachi any day.

A small grunt from Sasuke signaled that they had arrived, but Naruto didn't need to be told. The building in front of him was clearly one made for a person of high status, and infinitely nicer than the room that Sasuke occupied. A small light filtered out of one of the windows, and a faint murmuring from the room meant that multiple people were already there.

"Alright, dobe. Keep your mouth shut and let me do all the talking. You'll only make things worse for yourself if you upset Itachi." said Sasuke.

"Yeah, I know." muttered Naruto begrudgingly. Sasuke stepped in front of him and opened the door. He pushed Naruto in, and quickly shut it behind him. A long hallway stretched out before them, with adjoining rooms branching off every few feet.

"Itachi! We're here, where are you?" called Sasuke.

A soft thumping noise came from one of the rooms, and one of the doors creaked open. Sasuke nudged Naruto into motion, and led him down the hall and through the door. Naruto gulped. Itachi was sitting at a small desk by a window, his cold eyes staring at him. A man with short, surprisingly stiff silver hair and a mask that only covered his mouth was leaning against a wall, quietly observing. Naruto could sense another presence in the room, but he couldn't quite figure out where they were.

"Ah, Sasuke. You finally decided to grace us with your presence. Kindly close the door behind you and take a seat. Leave your pet to Kakashi." Naruto narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to retort that he was _not _indeed a pet, but a sharp jab from Sasuke reminded him that he wasn't supposed to say anything. The masked man, or Kakashi, silently walked over to Naruto.

Sasuke gave a quick nod to Naruto to assure that Kakashi would not hurt him, then walked over and sat down opposite his brother. Naruto pretended not to notice Sasuke's small act, but on the inside he appreciated it. It was the first act of kindness that had been offered to him, even if Sasuke was just doing it so that Naruto wouldn't say anything.

"I assume that you know why you are here, Sasuke. It would try my patience to explain it to you." Itachi drawled. Sasuke flashed him a bored look.

"I am aware of the situation, thank you. Your precious patience will be preserved. What I do want to know is how we are going to proceed from here. I would like to be informed ahead of time if I am to be going to the battlefront."

Itachi frowned. "No, you won't be heading out any time soon. We still have the element of surprise on our side in regards to the Demon, and heading out immediately would erase that advantage. There is also the matter of wielding your enhanced Gift. Many of the Gifted who have managed to capture a Demon have had difficulty controlling their new abilities for a number of months. I doubt it will take you that long, but one can never be too careful." said Itachi.

Sasuke's eyes flicked towards Naruto, who fought to keep his expression controlled. It was a strange feeling, being talked about as if you weren't there, and Naruto didn't like it one bit. He refused to meet Sasuke's gaze.

"I see." said Sasuke, after a short pause. His tone was flat. "So I'm going to be spending the next month training my ass off to control my Gift, _in secret._ Remind me again how that is going to work?"

"I don't appreciate your attitude, brother." warned Itachi.

"And I don't appreciate standing around doing nothing while my brother goes out to war!" Sasuke snapped. Itachi closed his eyes, the only sign that he was struggling to control his temper.

"Sasuke, I understand your frustration. But you are not experienced enough to go out to the battlefield without your Gift being enhanced! I can't protect you out there-"

"I don't need your protection! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, I'm not a child anymore!" Sasuke slammed his fist on the table, and electricity arced over the table. Itachi didn't flinch, but furrowed his brow in displeasure. Naruto recoiled slightly, warranting a look from Kakashi.

Sasuke took a deep breath and calmed himself. The electricity cut off, leaving the wooden desk smoking. He said nothing for another moment, and Itachi didn't attempt to break the silence.

"When will my training begin?" Sasuke finally said. Itachi eyed him momentarily before responding.

"Tomorrow afternoon. You'll be using a clearing in the forest about two miles west. But, there is something you need to do before then." Sasuke looked at Itachi, confusion clearly showing.

"What?" Itachi looked at Kakashi and gave a short nod. Naruto felt something hard hit the side of his neck, and his legs buckled. Something cold and metal pinned his wrists together behind his back, and a rough hand pulled the back of his shirt so that his head was facing upwards. He let out a cry as something heavy rested on the back of his legs, sending ripples of pain up his calves and back. A quick look at Sasuke showed that he had no idea that Naruto was going to be assaulted. He did not, however, protest.

Itachi motioned for Sasuke to stand, which he did.

"It is better that you consume the blood now than it would be to drink it just before training. Your body will be able to acclimate to it. You may proceed in any manner you wish." Sasuke looked at Naruto cooly, onyx eyes blank. He slowly drew a dagger from a pouch that rested on his thigh, and walked towards him. Naruto was completely immobilized, and he was silently begging Sasuke to stop.

The coldness of the blade pressed against Naruto's neck just as a tear rolled down his cheek. His heart was beating so incredibly fast that he was half expecting it to leap out of his chest. There was a moment where Naruto thought he saw a flicker of emotion in Sasuke's eyes, but then he felt the dagger slice into his skin.

It hurt. It hurt worse than the arrow in Naruto's leg had. He could feel the blood running down his neck, and watched as Sasuke bent down so that he was eye level with Naruto's chin. The tears were streaming freely down Naruto's face now. He watched in horror as Sasuke placed his lips on the cut.

Stars exploded in his vision as Sasuke sucked on the flowing blood, and endorphins rushed through his body. The fear that he was experiencing was dulled by a mix of pleasure and pain. Time lost its meaning, and everything else seemed blurry and faded. Naruto could have been there for seconds, or for days. He didn't care. All that mattered was that Sasuke kept drinking.

After what could have been an eternity, Naruto felt the gentle pressure of Sasuke lift off of his neck. He moaned in protest as the world started to fade back into view. The pain of the cut returned to him slowly, growing in pain and discomfort. He had no remaining strength left, and if not for Kakashi holding him up by his shirt he would probably would have been lying on the floor. He kept his eyes closed; he had no energy or desire to open them again.

A faint voice from in front of Naruto said, "Take them back, Kakashi. Get Jugo to help Sasuke." _'So, Sasuke collapsed too...serves him right.' _Naruto thought dully. The restraints pulling his arms back were released, and a pair of strong, yet gentle arms pulled him up off of the ground. His body moved in a gentle swaying motion, as if his carrier were soothing him.

The sound of crickets in the forest and the crunch of boots on hard ground created a quiet melody that was lulling Naruto to sleep. He was vaguely aware of entering Sasuke's room, and being placed on a bed. His eyes opened slightly, and through blurred vision he could make out Kakashi and Sasuke standing over him. The lower half of Sasuke's head looked as if someone had splashed dark red paint on it.

Naruto closed his eyes again, and felt the tendrils of sleep pulling him gently into the abyss. Just before he fell, he heard a quiet voice murmur, "Goodnight...Naruto."

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**[A/N: Remember to leave a review if you liked the story or have a critique]**


	7. IMPORTANT NOTE PLEASE READ

Hi readers :)

So, I've been a kinda shitty author these past few months, what with promising updates and then suddenly leaving without any notice. Well, to make a long story short there was a death in my family that completely killed any creative muse I had, then I went on a 6 week vacation with the only internet being on my phone (which I was not about to type on), and I just never got back around to writing.

HOWEVER!

I am NOT abandoning this story! I'm gonna start up the chapters again, really really soon, even if I can't promise a regular schedule because school is starting up again for me in two weeks. Sorry if I got your hopes up with this kinda pointless update, but I didn't want to leave anyone hanging.

So, love you all so very much, and hopefully I'll talk to you soon!

xoxo, Lili


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